[Automation Gallery]

I guess someone without ethics would say something like that. You don't even know the safety transportation system that the TTc is regulated by.

I'd love to sit in my house in south Parkdale and not go to community meetings to help mold the future vision of the community.

Like I said before move the garage entrance to Bloor street or just don't put in any underground parking like the Military library museum is doing on University. This is supposed to be a major transportation hub with GO and TTC.

By reading your past posts we know where you stand regarding this building. As far as i am concerned Mr.Perks and the area clan have come up with a bunch of bullshit to stop this project, even the advertising signage caused a neighborhood stir, come on give up..... this is more than anything ever expected for this area. Just look across the street.

 

[maestro]

You are impressively predictable yourself. Ready to dismiss any concern (both the market and the project's themselves) as extremism for the sake of build!, build!, build!. You may feel closer at home in Houston although I think even they have adopted some vague official plan. It's a little amusing you bring up what's across the street and yet believe the solution is to build higher density ... twice the density in fact!

Design Wise:

Giraffe may have more architectural merit than across the street although that's rather subjective to personal taste and trends, It's still a condo building which likely means precast or stucco and window wall. Give it 30 years and you may find youself staring at 4 eyesores on the Bloor/Dundas horizon. Short and sweet ... residential makes good filler but, rarely good skylines.

 

[junctionist]

Design Wise:

Giraffe may have more architectural merit than across the street although that's rather subjective to personal taste and trends, It's still a condo building which likely means precast or stucco and window wall. Give it 30 years and you may find youself staring at 4 eyesores on the Bloor/Dundas horizon. Short and sweet ... residential makes good filler but, rarely good skylines.

The worst thing at that intersection is the office tower with cheap apartments added on top. The Crossways is a cohesive 1970s landmark by WZMH, using a high quality brick with good investment in various finishes and architectural elements like the wood panel ceiling inside, the distinctive brick interior walls and globe lighting.

 

[milanista]

You are impressively predictable yourself. Ready to dismiss any concern (both the market and the project's themselves) as extremism for the sake of build!, build!, build!. You may feel closer at home in Houston although I think even they have adopted some vague official plan. It's a little amusing you bring up what's across the street and yet believe the solution is to build higher density ... twice the density in fact!

Design Wise:

Giraffe may have more architectural merit than across the street although that's rather subjective to personal taste and trends, It's still a condo building which likely means precast or stucco and window wall. Give it 30 years and you may find youself staring at 4 eyesores on the Bloor/Dundas horizon. Short and sweet ... residential makes good filler but, rarely good skylines.

You know, this is the 2nd time in this very thread that you have suggested that other UT members would be better off in other cities, myself in Chicago or New York and Automation Gallery in Houston.

So what is it exactly? Only you know whats best for Toronto?

Density in the central areas of the city, especially around rapid transit lines will always be the smartest answer. Not necessarily 400 foot towers, and not necessarily the equivalent of a small town in 4 square kilometres either, but appropriate density nonetheless.

 

[drum118]

Nov 18 Visit

They have put up new signage and painting it today as I pass by on 504. Different colours been used. Not get shots. Looks a lot better than what was there before. Keeping with the name.

 

[Parkdalian]

I saw them painting that the other day. I think it helps them get around that whole illegal billboard thing - it's still advertising the condos, but now they can argue its just decoration.

 

[adma]

The worst thing at that intersection is the office tower with cheap apartments added on top. The Crossways is a cohesive 1970s landmark by WZMH, using a high quality brick with good investment in various finishes and architectural elements like the wood panel ceiling inside, the distinctive brick interior walls and globe lighting.

Though arguably (esp. w/the now-tatty wine-cellary mall interior) it's been choking on its "cohesive 1970s landmarkness" ever since. (Still, count me in strategically w/the Crossways defenders.)

And the school isn't bad, either, as a compact urban-location piece of 60s brick-Brutalist sculpture...

 

[Maggie]

By reading your past posts we know where you stand regarding this building. As far as i am concerned Mr.Perks and the area clan have come up with a bunch of bullshit to stop this project, even the advertising signage caused a neighborhood stir, come on give up..... this is more than anything ever expected for this area. Just look across the street.

I guess your idea of condo utopia is Jameson ave not far from where you live in south Parkdale. The law is quite clear in regards to signs, I did not make up this law nor did I make up the safety regulations that govern the TTC. Your obsession with height is pathological when you think it is far more important than the safety of people and the law. Now you also think that the High Park clan conference call each night think tanking on how to screw the Giraffe. You need help.

 

[adma]

I guess your idea of condo utopia is Jameson ave not far from where you live in south Parkdale.

Not to defend Automation Gallery, but a closer model for such "condo utopia" might be the towers around High Park subway. (Simply mentioning that because it's less of a class-warfareish bashing point.)

 

[Maggie]

Not to defend Automation Gallery, but a closer model for such "condo utopia" might be the towers around High Park subway. (Simply mentioning that because it's less of a class-warfareish bashing point.)

That was actually going to be another retort saved in my ammo bunker. Even the designs from the 70's in the Soviet Union looked better than those buildings. I know that Automation Gallery means well and wants whats generally beneficial for the community, I have always said that something has to be built there but you have to do it by the book. I have also advocated for the development of the zellers loblaws site. Now there is to be a LCBO there and that means no development for at least 10 years because the LCBO only signs long term contracts.

 

[milanista]

That was actually going to be another retort saved in my ammo bunker. Even the designs from the 70's in the Soviet Union looked better than those buildings. I know that Automation Gallery means well and wants whats generally beneficial for the community, I have always said that something has to be built there but you have to do it by the book. I have also advocated for the development of the zellers loblaws site. Now there is to be a LCBO there and that means no development for at least 10 years because the LCBO only signs long term contracts.

Really? Is that confirmed? That's really unfortunate, that massive parking lot and those big box stores (Loblaws & Zellers) that are about 1km from the street really are the ugliest part of this neighbourhood. Not that the Price Chopper is a thing of beauty either but that's another story.

I remember reading somewhere, possibly the city's planning site, that the Loblaws/Zellers site was going to undergo some sort of redevelopment, something like a smaller Liberty Village with multiple mixed use and residential buildings. Is that still a possibility? Is the LCBO going to be a part of that or are they just going to put it alongside the exisiting stores?

 

[Maggie]

Really? Is that confirmed? That's really unfortunate, that massive parking lot and those big box stores (Loblaws & Zellers) that are about 1km from the street really are the ugliest part of this neighbourhood. Not that the Price Chopper is a thing of beauty either but that's another story.

I remember reading somewhere, possibly the city's planning site, that the Loblaws/Zellers site was going to undergo some sort of redevelopment, something like a smaller Liberty Village with multiple mixed use and residential buildings. Is that still a possibility? Is the LCBO going to be a part of that or are they just going to put it alongside the exisiting stores?

yep http://www.roncesvallesvillage.ca/?p=505 . I too thought that a liberty village style neighborhood would of been nice there geared towards family sized units.

 

[urbandreamer]

This late afternoon I was amazed to see some gentleman signing a sales agreement for a condo here. I can remember just a few months ago when this sales centre was like a ghost town! The TAS boss was even hanging around--maybe they're gonna do another sales push this weekend?

 

[maestro]

The worst thing at that intersection is the office tower with cheap apartments added on top. The Crossways is a cohesive 1970s landmark by WZMH, using a high quality brick with good investment in various finishes and architectural elements like the wood panel ceiling inside, the distinctive brick interior walls and globe lighting.

You're taking me too literally since my comments were in response to him (Well, I believe he was talking about the Crossways) Personally, I'm indifferent to The Crossways being of a better quality but still overpowering the neighbourhood around it. I respect it and wouldn't want it destroyed or "updated" but wouldn't mind if it never existed either. Note the "four" eyesore. No way could I leave out the office/res tower.

So what is it exactly? Only you know whats best for Toronto?

I'm just expressing my opinion in regards to the appropriateness of this development. I believe that's the basis of urbantoronto. Maybe I comes off a little forceful and a lot arrogant but, I'm not exactly having a great week and I'm just so tired of the prevailing extreme viewpoint from the likes of Automation Gallery. (no offense to him personally)

 

[milanista]

This late afternoon I was amazed to see some gentleman signing a sales agreement for a condo here. I can remember just a few months ago when this sales centre was like a ghost town! The TAS boss was even hanging around--maybe they're gonna do another sales push this weekend?

Good to hear. I remember that too, before they dropped their prices this place was incredibly overpriced and selling (or not) appropriately, so nobody was around. I really don't know why they didn't do much advertising for their substantial drop in prices. They start at less than $200k now if I'm not mistaken. I remember comparing a unit pre price drop to it's new price and much to my surprise it had come down almost $65K. I found it to be less than The Address, less than Parc Nuvo and better value than the other places I was looking at off Bloor (South Beach, California, NXT etc.)

The sales guy told me that they're relaunching sometime in November (this was in late August) so I guess that's what their new paint job is for. I think it's become quite obvious that many people have stayed away from Giraffe because of the controversy surrounding it's not yet secured approval from city (which it didn't get). OMB hearing in early December for all those who are interested. If they had secured the appropriate permits beforehand this place would probably have been sold out by now, with their lower price point.